Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-12
A DAY OF MOURNING.
Public Offices Closed and Business En-.
tirely Suspended in Honor Of
the Dead Divine.
Plymouth Church ts Made to Blossom Like
the Rose-EIoqnent Grafton by
Rev. Charles Hall.

in mourning to-day over the death of
Henry Ward Beecher. Public Offices are
closed and business is entirely suspend
ed. Memorial services were held in q
large number of churches in the vicinity
of Plymouth church.
Last night the Beecher residence wss
brilliantly lighted and everything around
the house was made as bright as posi-
Die. Mrs. Beecher had been in her late
husbands room great portion Of the
afternoon looking over his papers. It
seems delight TO her 10 be near where
her husband spent most of his time.
The members of the family were
dressed in bright clothing as though
gong to church on Sunday, and every
thing around was made as bright and
cheerful Is possible in accordance with
tGe often expressed wish Of Mr.. Beecher
in case Of his death. Hundreds Of beo-
pie called during the day and left their
cards, including Henry George and Rev
DR.. McGlynn. The church last night,
until II o'clock was more crowded than
during the afternoon. The line of people
waiting to view the remains extended
from the church TO Fulton street, nearly
three blocks, and one block down Fulton.
The uptown streets looked deserted,
and as early as O'Clock Fulton avenue
was thrCnged with people hurryipg in the
direction OF Plymouth church. Lines Of
police were stationed at the ends Of the
block on which the church is situated
and no one was allowed to pass through
the lines unless he had ticket. Before
Is o'clock the line in Organ street was
two blocks long and three abreast. The
side streets were packed with people who
hung around hoping they might be able
to get in without ticket. Members Of
the Plymouth company of the Thirteenth
regiment were stationed at the doors Of
the church and in the lecture room,
while the vast crowd of people
were gathered outside of the church.
The members OF the congregation
were working like beavers within dress
ing the pulpit and casket with flowers.
The whole interior was turned into per-
feet flower garden and the fragrant per-
fume of roses perveded the air. The
walls, galleries and organ were cove red
with evergreen, palms and Gala lilies.
The reading desk was covered with roses
and vines as was also the chair in which
Mr.. BeeCher sat for so many years. In
the center Of the organ loft WAS q floral
emblem in the shape of triangle, on the
top of which were perChed two white
doves with white ribbons in their bills.
The Casket was placed on q Catsfalque of
white roses, white carnations and smilaX
directly in front Of the reading desk and
was so profuseiy decorated with flowers
that not vestige of the black CLOTH COW
ering of the cesket could be seen. There
was nothing to indicate the presence of
death except the stiffness which per
vaded the room and the huShed CONVEX
sation of the workers. The church had
more the appearance OF q wedding than
funeral
1t was nearly 10 O'Clock before the
doors were thrown open to those who had
been waiting without the doors i'm
patiently for nearly three hours. Dur
irg the time the audience were being
shown to the seats Organist Harry Rowe
Sherry played low, sweet music upon the
grand organ. The first four seats on The
right of the center aisle we're reserved for
the relatives of the deceased. Mr..
Beecher's family were present, and the
family pew was filed with flowers. On
the left side of the center aisle were the
members of the Clerical Union, of which
Mr.. BeeCher was member Tor number
of years. Behind these were seated the
officers of the Thirteenth regiment and
the members of he legislative commit
tee; behind these were the delegates of
social, political or religious organizations
in New York and Brooklyn.
At 1920 Rev. DR.. Charles II. Hall,
robed in his white surplice and accom-
panied by Rev. S. B. Halliday, entered
the church and assembled the platform.
When the music ceased, DR.. Hall com
menced to read in low but clear tones
the opening sentences of the Protestant
Episcopal burial service. After this q
double quartette and a chorus Of sixty
voices sang the burial chant
"Lord, Let Me Know Nine End" The
lesson was read by DR.. Hall and prayer
was delivered by Rev. S. B. Halliday.
The rest Of the musical programme was
as follows: Anthem, blessed are the
Depsrted;n hymn, "Jesus Lover of My
Soul" sentence, 81 Hrar a Voice."
hymn, CLARK, Hark My Soul"
After the first lesson DR.. Hall COM
menced his Grafton.
He said 1.-THE hand that rests so still
yonder, laid aside the pen over page of
the unfinished Life of Christ. Possibly
the last fash of thought as the convic-
ton drew on him of the probable end of
life was that his life was to
be left unfinished, that he had
not told men all that he would have them
know of that precious revelation. Pos
sibly as the spirit fed away to be
with Christ whom he had been serving,
full knowledge came to him of that shore
less ocean of eternal life which Is to know
God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent.
That is a beautiful vision, the love of
Christ which passeth knowledgel We
dwell on one tiny bay of it here, and
cream about it. TIE departed saints of
God already put out on It's unreasonable
spaces have learned that the life
Of Christ is never flushed. 1t is the one
word of God which is ever spoken, echo
ing again and again, on and on, with
ceaseIeSs reveIberetions down the CEN
turtles. If there was one thing that
stirred the heart that now rests from its
labors more than any other that has
marked his life and made his mem
ory precious to US now, it was
his many utterances of Chaist living, as
going about among men, TIE Master who
first and last asks US to believe in Him
rather than to believe what others say
Of IL